Racks, frames, cabinets and the like (referred to herein as “racks” or “equipment racks”) support equipment components such as computer and other electronic equipment units, e.g., servers, communications switches, patch panels, enclosures and the like. The equipment components can include patch panels, equipment units, equipment face panels, and the like extending between the vertical members along the front side of the rack. These panels can have slots and other openings for mounting of patch blocks of outlets, adapters, or other devices or to allow access to control portions of the equipment components. For example, a patch panel typically comprises a connecting hardware system (e.g., arrays of outlets, ports, or adapters, etc.) that facilitates cable termination, connection, and cabling administration via the use and administration of standard-conforming adapters or plugs.
These connections are made by cables, cords, or other categories of wires (referred to hereinafter as “cables”). Interconnect cables are primarily used as intra-equipment jumpers or patch cords and are generally available in standard lengths and colors. For example, some typical applications include patching active electronics to nearby patch panels, cable cross-connection on distribution frames, and connecting work area outlets to terminal equipment. Patch cords typically comprise a length of cable with a plug or outlet on one, or both ends.
In addition, these racks can support a vast array of equipment components including patch panels and other equipment having many ports connected to various types of cables. For instance, the equipment components can be used for telephony, networking, and other communication related applications using, for example, fiber and copper cables. As a result, the associated computer networks and services can provide a wide array of efficient computing capabilities throughout a large work area, while providing mission critical services essential to the function of an organization alongside less essential services.
Due to the sensitive nature of the equipment components housed in these racks, ideally, the racks can be located in access-restricted areas to prevent undesired access by unauthorized personnel. At the same time, racks located in restricted access areas can be arranged in such a way to provide easy access to the patch panels, equipment units, equipment face panels, and the like to expose arrays of outlet ports to maintenance personnel. However, even in such restricted access areas the equipment components and associated connections can be subject to inadvertent tampering (e.g., removal of the wrong cable, etc.).
In other situations, economic or other considerations can dictate that such access to the outlet ports are not as strictly controlled (e.g., a temporary development setup, a startup company lacking financial resources to implement rigorous access controls, equipment racks located near office or common areas, etc.). As a result, access to such connections can be poorly controlled and subject to casual tampering with equipment component connections by unauthorized personnel as well as inadvertent tampering.
In yet other situations, special administrative controls can be implemented that require heightened awareness of potentially affected equipment when performing maintenance in restricted access areas. For example, when mission critical equipment components are collocated with non-essential equipment components, system administrators can desire implementing special administrative or logistical controls for performing maintenance in such areas. Accordingly, to prevent inadvertent interruption of essential services associated with the connection of mission critical equipment components when performing maintenance on non-essential equipment components, system administrators can require, e.g., physical separation of different classes of equipment components, two-party verification of equipment components and/or connections prior to commencing work, special color coding, etc. However, such administrative measures can be costly and can still be subject to human error.
Thus, in either situation, ensuring physical security to prevent unauthorized tampering with the equipment components and associated connections can be a challenge either due to cost considerations, manpower considerations, space considerations, etc. For example, while some methods to prevent cable and connection tampering have been described, still other methods focus on the use of electronic or software based connection-specific alarms. However, such methods are merely reactive rather than proactive. That is, while such connection-specific alarms can alert personnel to unexpected connection interruption due to tampering or other causes, the methods do not effectively prevent tampering. In other examples, where a mechanism notifies system administrators for a network and records events when an enclosure, cover, or door is opened or removed, such mechanisms can fail to address inadvertent tampering or unintended disconnection of essential equipment components by authorized personnel.
In still other outlet-based tamper prevention devices, conventional devices can require proprietary outlets or plugs, re-termination of an existing patch cable, excessive manpower required for installation or assembly, and/or excessive manpower for removal re-termination if such devices are no longer desired or warranted. In addition, in still other outlet-based tamper prevention devices, if such devices are not reusable, then the use thereof can be a significant cost factor in attempting to thwart tampering with equipment components and associated connections.
Although the above-identified methods or devices can work for their intended purposes, such methods or devices do not effectively address the considerations as described (e.g., cost, proprietary outlets or plugs, ease and flexibility of use, manpower requirements, raising awareness of mission critical connections, proactive prevention of tampering, inefficient use of costly equipment rack space, etc.). It is thus desired to provide enhanced cable anti-tamper devices, systems, and methodologies for cable tamper prevention that improve upon these and other deficiencies of conventional tamper prevention systems.